This month, the Partners Biorepository for Medical Discovery (PBMD), which includes samples and information from the BWH OurGenes, OurHealth, OurCommunity® project, is hosting DNA Days. DNA Days are designed to encourage BWH, MGH and Partners employees to volunteer in enabling cutting-edge research in the field of genetics through the Partners Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine (PCPGM).  The PBMD is encouraging employees to help build the number of samples in the biorepository.

“We believe that employees who donate blood samples to the biorepository can help advance the development of personalized medicine, which holds the promise to radically improve the delivery of care through treatments that are tailored to an individual’s specific needs,” said Scott T. Weiss, MD, MS, scientific director of PCPGM and principal investigator for PBMD.

Any employee may participate in this voluntary event; participation will involve signing a consent form, answering some easy questions, and giving a small blood sample for future research.  If you choose to participate, please note:

• information from the study will be linked to your Partners Electronic Medical Record and both may be used for research;
• information related to the study will be used by Partners for research only;
• your information will be managed in accordance with strict privacy protocols; and
• you may be re-contacted and asked to provide additional voluntary information or another consented sample.

“DNA Days provides the BWH community with an opportunity to help Partners researchers who are striving to make discoveries that will improve medicine,” said Elizabeth W. Karlson, MD, BWH senior physician and co-investigator for the OurGenes/PBMD project.

DNA Days is completely voluntary and can be done at the employee’s convenience during one of the DNA Days at BWH: Oct. 7, 21 and 28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the BWH Cabot Atrium, 45 Francis St. lobby.

E-mail nmallen@partners.org or call 617-525-4499 for more information. To sign up to donate a blood sample or for more information visit www.partners.org/dnadays.

Article provided by BWH OurGenes, OurHealth, OurCommunity® in collaboration with the Partners Biorepository for Medical Discovery.